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Infantry Weapons of the Galaxy
The armies of every nation depend on the infantry for the capture and defense of territory, and the infantry is armed with a variety of weapons for this purpose. Given the great number of such weapons in existence, only the more common weapons are shown here. Firearms (Slugthrowers) B-11 K-Bolt Assault Rifle For the last five hundred years, the standard Bragulan infantry weapon has been the B-11 K-bolt assault rifle (KAR), a gauss gun that shoots out hypersonic 14mm bragsteel slugs coated in a vegemite derivative that upon ignition transmutes into K-residue, a highly radioactive molecular acid that can eat through power armor and dissolve the living being underneath. While the KAR is an anti-infantry weapon, the size and acidity of its rounds also makes it somewhat effective against lighter vehicles. The KAR is a very rugged design; many of those used in the Bragulan Legions are decades or even centuries old, often outliving their users and reused by the next batch of troops. The firing rate is adjustable, the standard is 800 rounds per minute though it can be lowered for non-Bragulans. The maximum effective range is 2,000 meters, but for conscripts using simple iron sights, the range is markedly lesser. For elite troops, modular passive-aggressive sensors, active gamma/X-ray arrays, macroperitelescopes, reflex-radiating sights, and other add-ons can be bolted on to significantly increase range and accuracy. The B-11 has a retractable bayonet and can mount an underbarrel microgrenade launcher. By human standards, the typical KAR is as large as a heavy machine gun, while atypical ones come in several sizes, including more human-portable Cub Scout variants. Older KARs are predominantly composed of stamped bragsteel with lumber handguards and folding stocks, while newer versions replace the lumber with more metal. Typical magazines come in 50-round boxes, 100-round scythes, and 250-round drums. Centuries of continuous production have resulted in an enormous surplus of KARs to sell to the galactic market, making the K-bolter among Bragule's best-selling export products, ubiquitous amongst the revolutionaries, terrorists and criminal syndicates of the galaxy. The B-11 KAR sets the standard for cheap, reliable and mass produceable firepower. Bragnum Service Revolver For eight hundred years, the Bragnum Service Revolver has been the standard sidearm of the Bragulan armed forces, used by arbitrators to dispense the Imperator's law, commissars to administer field executions, and officers to lead trench charges. Conscripts are not issued service revolvers, unlike professional volunteers and Shock Troops. The Bragnum is a break-open design with a six-round cylinder and a magnetically rifled bragsteel barrel originally chambered for 30mm rounds, though with the advent of modern armor the caliber has been upgraded to 40mm for superior stopping power. By human standards, the Bragnum is practically a grenade launcher, and the recoil from the explosively propelled rounds is enough to break an unaugmented human's wrists. The standard round is the 40mm focused high explosive; other common rounds include armor-piercing sabots, uranium buckshot, flechettes, K-bolts, and good old-fashioned full bragsteel jacket. Bu Qiang-98 Battle Rifle and Derivatives The Bu Qiang 98 is a particularly compact bullpup rifle, with the magazine only one inch in front of the butt plate in order to achieve maximum barrel length. The additional barrel length provides both longer barrel life and greater velocity, as the barrel is stressed less and is able to more efficiently utilize the power supplied. The BQ-98 has an integrated grenade launcher, which feeds from a 5-round detachable box magazine fitted immediately in front of the slugthrower magazine. It fires 25mm grenades and is capable of accepting both lethal and less-lethal ammunition. The pistol grip/trigger module is adjustable to account for differing length of pull requirements of different soldiers. A bipod, flashlight and forward grip are optional accessories. It is most remarkable for its extraordinarily short overall length of 24 inches. The BQ-98C rifle is similar to the basic BQ-98 but deletes the grenade launcher, saving both weight and volume. It is typically issued to vehicle crews. The BQ-03 rifle is similar to the BQ-98C but features a lengthened barrel. Various other changes, such as the addition of a bipod, make it suitable for the designated marksman/sniper role. It is also used for ceremonial duties, where the additional length is desired. Dawkins/Tsien Militech DS-37 Viper Sidearm The DS-37 Viper is the main sidearm of the Commonwealth military. Designed to provide an effective fallback weapon, the DS-37 sports a modular design. The basic weapon fires regular 6.5mm rounds at 2.5 km/s and feeds from a 23-round magazine; it can accept an underslung "magnum" attachment that fires 13.5mm rounds at 3.7 km/s and feeds from a separate 7-round magazine. This attachment can be loaded with a variety of ammunition, including grenade, armor-piercing, and incinerite-based incendiary; while Commonwealth military models are limited to official-issue ammo, various third-party firms have developed a variety of aftermarket rounds for export models. Minaturized inertial dampeners reduce the recoil of each shot for both components. Both components have a maximum range of about 100 meters. In its standard configuration with the magnum attachment, the DS-37 weighs 1.5 kg; without the magnum attachment, it weighs only 1.05 kg. Like the VX-23 Deathcaster, it is equipped with either an active or a passive anti-theft device and can accept a number of other modifications. The DS-37 is very well-regarded for its flexibility and has become relatively popular on the export market. Dawkins/Tsien Militech VX-23 Deathcaster Assault Rifle The Deathcaster Assault Rifle is the standard service rifle of the Commonwealth military, a flexible bullpup rail rifle typically fitted with a 76-round top-mounted horizontal magazine; a 300-round dual-helix magazine is also available, but it is rarely used due to weight and ergonomic concerns. An evolutionary descendant of the Tau rail rifle, it fires 4.5mm explosive armor-piercing rounds at 4.8 km/s, using miniaturized inertial dampeners to handle the weapon's recoil. It has three modes of fire: Semi-automatic, variable burst, and full-auto (850 rounds per minute). Standard features include a HUD linkup scope and fingerprint/identification tag-based anti-theft systems, either passive (the weapon will not function for an unauthorized user, transmit a radio beacon, and announce unauthorized use via audio) or active (in addition to passive anti-theft functions, the weapon will dump a 15,000 volt charge into the hand of an unauthorized user). A reasonably popular export item, it has been compared to the ubiquitous B-11 K-bolter in terms of reliability while weighing less and being easier for the novice to use, if about 2.5 times as expensive to purchase. Other attachments are available, such as smart-form grips for maximum user comfort, underslung flechette and grenade launchers, small scale psi-jammers, and sonic stunners. A more compact variant, the VX-24 "Eradicator" carbine, exists for urban combat use. RA-12 Assault Rifle The standard-issue military rifle in the Humanist Union, the RA-12 is a rugged, high-power assault rifle known mostly for its stopping power and durability. The RA-12's primary disadvantage is in its recoil, which is considerable for an inexperienced user without powered assistance. Easy and cheap to manufacture, the RA-12 can function long after other personal infantry weapons have failed under extreme combat conditions. The RA-12 serves as a base for several other designs, including the RAb-12 bullpup rifle and the RAm-12 SAW. RA-10 Assault Rifle The predecessor to the RA-12, the RA-10 resembles the RA-12 in aesthetics and general performance, though it is slightly inferior across a variety of metrics. The bulk of remaining RA-10s in the Humanist Union have been relegated to reserves, far-flung Civil Defense and police units, endorsed militias, and to the heavily-regulated civilian market; new-build RA-10s are generally produced for export purposes. A widely-dispersed design popular due to its low cost and relative lack of technical complication, it can be found in the hands of socialist guerillas galaxy-wide, to whom the Union is willing to provide weapons at a bargain with fairly few questions asked. RAE-5 Assault Rifle The RAE-5 is an automatic mass driver designed for use by the Humanist Union's elite Special Operations units. Compared to the RA-12, the RAE-5 is more complicated and expensive, but much more lethal. Its low recoil compensates for its firing rate. Equipped with a more complicated version of the integrated targeting gear found in the standard RA-12 and the older RA-10, the RAE-5 is lethally accurate even at extreme ranges. Unfortunately, the RAE-5 is heavy and unwieldly, making it impractical as a main rifle for light or no-assist infantry troopers. M17 Gauss Pistol The M17 (formally Gauss Pistol, Caliber 11.5 mm, M17) is the standard sidearm issued to the SOS Imperial Guard and Marine Corps. It is a semi-automatic pistol manufactured by Morita Firearms that fires a variety of 11.5mm slugs at 3.3 km/s; the standard military and law enforcement round is a high explosive armor-piercing slug, though it can also fire solid metal, high explosive armor-piercing incendiary, hypervelocity kinetic penetrator (trinium or depleted uranium), and fragmentation rounds. Miniaturized inertial dampeners help reduce the pistol's recoil. It is typically issued with a 12-round box magazine, though 16- and 20-round extended magazines are also available for military and law enforcement users. The M17 can also be fitted with optics, a laser aiming module, a detachable stock, and an extended barrel. The M17 is one of the most popular pistols on the galactic arms market, with sales figures comparable to those of the Solarian M11 Diamondback. Koprulu Zone users in particular like to refer to it as the "Baby Bragnum," as its capabilities are quite similar to a downsized version of the Bragulan revolver; in any case, it is certainly more user-friendly than the full-size Bragnum by human standards. M18 Gauss Submachine Gun The M18 (formally Gauss Submachine Gun, Caliber 4.6 mm, M18) is a relatively common personal defense weapon issued to the SOS Imperial Guard and Marine Corps. Manufactured by Morita as part of its line of gauss weaponry, it is a bullpup weapon that fires 4.6mm high explosive armor-piercing slugs at 4.2 km/s, using a system of miniaturized inertial dampeners in order to help control recoil; even with the dampeners, though, its recoil on full-auto can be quite considerable for an inexperienced user. The weapon has a four-position (safe, semi-automatic, burst, and full-automatic) trigger group with an ambidextrous selector; burst fire can be set from 2 to 6 rounds, while full-auto fire is adjustable by the user (minimum is 600 rpm, factory-rated maximum is 900 rpm, default is 750 rpm). The standard magazine issued for the M18 is a 72-round horizontal box mounted on the left side of the weapon. It is most notable for its highly compact size (47 cm long with stock retracted and 63 cm with stock fully extended), which makes it popular with vehicle crews and special operations forces. The deployable vertical foregrip further aids in the weapon's maneuverability, making it easier to point and aim. M66 Gauss Rifle The M66 (formally Gauss Rifle, Caliber 8.6 mm, M66) is a common assault rifle issued to the SOS Imperial Guard and Marine Corps. It is a bullpup weapon manufactured by Morita Firearms and fires 8.6mm high explosive armor-piercing rounds at 5.6 km/s, using a system of miniaturized inertial dampeners in order to help control recoil. The weapon has a four-position (safe, semi-automatic, burst, and full-automatic) trigger group with an ambidextrous selector; burst fire can be set from 2 to 6 rounds, while full-auto fire is adjustable by the user (minimum is 600 rpm, factory-rated maximum is 800 rpm, default is 700 rpm). The standard magazine issued for the M66 is a 36-round box, though a 72-round quad-column "casket" and 108-round drum are also available. Its maximum effective range is 2,000 meters, which can easily be accomplished with the integrated optics suite. The M66 is compatible with a wide range of accessories and attachments, such as the M412 underslung grenade launcher, a modified version of the M74 shotgun, and even a bayonet. The M66 is a popular slugthrower on the galactic arms market, comparable to the B-11 K-bolter across a variety of metrics and generally viewed as an excellent (if relatively more expensive) alternative to the ubiquitous Bragulan weapon. Compared to the Dawkins/Tsien Militech VX-23, the M66 has superior range, superior stopping power per individual round, and is far less expensive, though it is a heavier weapon that lacks the VX-23's anti-theft mechanism and has inferior ammunition capacity when fitted with the standard 36-round box. M110 Heavy Gauss Rifle with an M110 gauss rifle]] The M110 (formally Gauss Rifle, Caliber 14 mm, M110) is the standard anti-personnel sniper rifle issued to the SOS Imperial Guard and Marine Corps. Manufactured by Morita as part of its line of gauss weaponry, it employs a "conventional" layout (magazine in front of the trigger group) and fires a variety of 14mm slugs; the standard military round is a high explosive armor-piercing incendiary slug, though it can also accept other types of ammunition, such as regular high explosive armor-piercing, hypervelocity kinetic penetrator (trinium or depleted uranium), solid metal, and even unmodifed K-bolts taken from the B-11 K-bolter. While the weapon is equipped with inertial dampeners, its recoil can still be quite considerable, especially when fired from an unsupported position without power assistance. It has a two-position (safe, semi-automatic) trigger group with an ambidextrous selector. The weapon typically feeds from a 5-round detachable box magazine, though 7- and 10-round extended magazines are also available. Other standard features include a bipod and a highly sophisticated targeting suite. While the M110's factory-stated maximum effective range is 3,600 meters, it has been known to exceed that figure in the field. Maibatsu USAS-3112 The United Solarian Automatic Shotgun, Model 3112 is a fully automatic shotgun designed by the fledgling Maibatsu megacorp during the First Bragulan War. Designed to be used during boarding actions where Solarian marines were expected to go up to Bragulan naval infantry in close quarters combat, the overriding concern during the design phase of the Model 3112 was stopping power. This is why Maibatsu designed it around a 20mm depleted uranium buckshot cartridge capable of putting down a lightly armored Bragulan with a single shot. Passingly familiar with Bragulan rushing tactics, Maibatsu then made the 3112 capable of fully automatic fire, enabling the weapon to fill a corridor, hab-space, or cargo bay with a storm of hypervelocity shrapnel in a matter of microseconds. The USAS-3112 was a smash hit amongst Marine raiders and has long since proliferated to all kinds of Wild Space outfits who love the weapon for its rugged simplicity and unconscionable overkill. The Maibatsu USAS-3112 accepts detachable 20-round box magazines or 100-round drum magazines. Its basic design has not changed in several hundred years, and it is still marketed with the same slogan: "Makes gutting Bragulans easy!" Morita Firearms Model 27 Habu The Morita Firearms Model 27 Habu is a product of a rare joint venture between the arms industries of the Holy Empire of Haruhi Suzumiya and the Nova Atlantean Commonwealth. While the original Dawkins/Tsien Militech DS-37 Viper was well received on the export market due to its flexible design, much of its draw came from the "magnum" attachment that came standard with the weapon; many customers were disappointed to find out that Dawkins/Tsien did not offer the magnum as a stand-alone weapon. Morita Firearms, one of several firms that produced 13.5mm ammunition for export users of the DS-37, chose to capitalize on this golden opportunity and approached Dawkins/Tsien to design a stand-alone weapon based on the Nova Atlantean 13.5mm magnum round. The resulting product, the Model 27 Habu, is heavily based on Morita's tried and proven M17 gauss pistol design, to the point where many parts are interchangeable between the two weapons. The Model 27 fires the 13.5mm round at 3.9 km/s and accepts all Commonwealth milspec and third-party civilian ammunition (including Morita's own line of 13.5mm ammo). It is designed to feed from the DS-37 magnum's standard 7-round box magazine, though it can also accept a 9-round extended magazine; the extended magazine is also compatible with the original DS-37 magnum. Like the M17, the Model 27 can be fitted with optics, a laser aiming module, a detachable stock, and an extended barrel; models produced for the Nova Atlantean market also feature a dual-mode passive/aggressive anti-theft system. Dawkins/Tsien Militech also produces the Model 27, marketing it as the DS-38 Bushmaster Heavy Sidearm. While the Model 27/DS-38 has not been adopted by either the Commonwealth military or the SOS Imperial Armed Forces, it is still a highly popular item on the galactic arms market; Koprulu Zone users call it the "3B" ('B'ig 'B'aby 'B'ragnum) due to its increased firepower over the original M17. Shou Qiang-16 Service Pistol The Shou Qiang-16 pistol is relatively unique amongst contemporary service slugthrowers in that the projectile is stripped off the magazine backwards; that is, the initial motion of the projectile is to the rear before being pushed forward into the barrel. This arrangement maximizes barrel length, giving a full inch longer of a barrel, resulting in reduced stress on the gravitic accelerator and increased barrel life. The SQ-16 can have a collapsible stock attached, allowing full-auto fire and increased stability. Laser sights, as well as video remote and reflex sights, can be attached for additional functionality. Pistols are commonly issued to rear area troops, vehicle crews, and machinegunners. It utilizes the same ammunition as the standard BQ-98 rifle, but at a reduced velocity due to the decreased barrel length and for controllability purposes. It generates approximately 50% of the BQ-98's velocity without a stock and 75% of the BQ-98's velocity with stock attached and extended. Stitchkyn APS Colloquially known as the "Bragulan Needler," the Avtoneedelchyeskiyi Pyistolyet Stitchkyna is a personal defense weapon noted for its high rate of fire and compact size, roughly analogous to modern submachine guns. It rapid-fires monomolecular-edged trinium needles designed to shear through unprotected targets and perforate light body armor; explosive armor-piercing flechettes are also available for better-protected targets. The weapon emits a sharp hissing sound when fired, which can be easily suppressed. Silenced Stitchkyns are a choice weapon for Bragulan special forces in dealing with soft targets, preferring the weapon's simplicity, extremely low recoil, and small size. The Stitchkyn comes with a shoulder stock and has three firing settings: Single shot, twelve-round burst, and full automatic. Energy-based Small Arms AB-185 Assault Blaster The AB-185 Assault Blaster is to the Centrality what the K-Bolter is to the Bragulans. While a bit less ubiquitous than the infamous Bragulan slugthrower, the AB is still the most common energy weapon in existence, with hundreds of billions estimated to currently be in circulation. The first AB model entered service with the Central Army in 3027, and since then has seen many upgrades to its design. The basic variant of the weapon has three standard fire settings (automatic, semi-auto, and pulse-fire) and can accept a variety of attachments and other accessories. The AB's firepower is variable, has a stun feature, a very large ammo capacity (the average gas cartridge has a total of 600 shots, depending on the firepower setting), and has a very high rate of fire for a weapon of its class. M11 Diamondback High Standard Plasma Pistol The M11 Diamondback High Standard Plasma Pistol is a semi-automatic plasma pistol that fires 8mm bolts in the 40 watt range. The Diamondback is the standard sidearm for USMC troops. Highly compact, it is loaded with self-cooling cartridges each containing 40 rounds, and is equipped with an integral flash suppressor, a LED ammo counter and an auto-targeting module with built-in IFF function. A best-selling DeBarros product, the M11 Diamondback is colloquially referred to as "an M116 in a can" due to the handgun featuring the same stopping power in a much smaller and lighter frame. Marines, mercenaries, and private citizens alike appreciate the lightweight handgun's penetrating power, accuracy, and balance. M36 Plasma Pistol The M36 plasma pistol is one of the more unusual weapons issued to the SOS Imperial Guard and Marine Corps. Manufactured by Seburo Firearms, its general design is markedly different from most of its other products, as it was initially adapted from a similar sidearm used by the Kroot, Vespids, and other Tau auxiliaries during the Imperium-Tau War; the weapon has seen numerous progressive refinements and improvements over the centuries in order to keep it competitive with other designs such as the M11 Diamondback. The M36 in its current form is a highly compact semi-automatic plasma pistol with a three-position (safe, semi-automatic, overcharge) trigger group with an ambidextrous selector. In its standard semi-auto fire setting, it fires 6.8mm bolts in the 32 watt range. In the overcharge setting, it fires a 12.7mm bolt in the 48 watt range, though it produces truly large amounts of waste heat per individual shot and requires a delay in order to cool off, which lowers its effective firing rate. A standard-capacity magazine holds enough power for 100 shots on semi-auto or 10 shots on overcharge mode. The weapon is fitted with an LED ammo counter/temperature gauge; military models are compatible with an auto-targeting module with integrated IFF. Despite its decidedly unorthodox design, the M36 is still a relatively popular weapon on the galactic arms market. Koprulu Zone users in particular refer to it as the "Baby Diamondback" due to its small size and the "Canned PIG" due to the surprisingly large punch it packs when fired in overcharge mode; a favorite tactic against heavily-armored foes is to dual-wield the M36 and M11, using the M36's overcharge mode to blast a hole in the target's defenses before following up with the M11. M48 Phased Plasma Assault Rifle The M48 (more formally Phased Plasma Pulse Rifle, Caliber 8.6 mm, M48) is the most common rifle issued to the SOS Imperial Guard and Marine Corps. It is a bullpup weapon manufactured by Seburo Firearms and fires 8.6mm darts of superheated hydrogen plasma in the 32.5-37.5 watt range (adjustable by the user; default power setting is 35 watts) that produces cauterizing and vaporizing effects comparable to those of the M116. The M48 has a four-position (safe, semi-automatic, burst, and full-automatic) trigger group with an ambidextrous selector; burst fire can be set from 2 to 6 shots, while full-automatic rate of fire is dependent on power setting (1,050 rpm at 32.5 watts, 900 rpm at 35 watts, or 750 rpm at 37.5 watts). Ammunition capacity varies depending on power setting; a standard-capacity magazine carries enough power for 600 shots at 32.5 watts, 450 shots at 35 watts, or 300 shots at 37.5 watts. Maximum effective range of the M48 is also dependent on power setting (1,200 meters at 32.5 watts, 1,350 meters at 35 watts, or 1,500 meters at 37.5 watts). The M48's interfacing electronics and integrated targeting suite have been upgraded steadily over the years; the latest variant in service, the M48A4, has targeting capabilities comparable to those of the latest models of the M116. The M48 is also compatible with a wide range of attachments and accessories; the M412 underslung grenade launcher and a modified version of the M74 shotgun are the most common attachments seen on rifles in Haruhiist service. M116 Phased Plasma Assault Rifle The M116 (more formally Phased Plasma Pulse Rifle, Caliber 10 mm, M116) is the primary assault rifle of the USMC. It is a bullpup weapon manufactured by DeBarros General Products' Planetary Warfare Division and rapid-fires 10mm darts of superheated hydrogen plasma in the 40 watt range that can produce massive cauterizing and vaporizing effects when the bolt impacts at high velocity. Maximum effective range of the M116 is 1,500 meters. The M116 is designed for use by combat armored troops and thus heavy, and the interfacing electronics and built-in passive electro-optic, broad-spectrum imaging, motion-tracking and laser rangefinding module make that rifles of the M116 family are more versatile, more powerful, but also more expensive than many available alternatives. Infantry Support Weapons B-35 Precision Cannon The B-35 Precision Cannon is a "smart" weapon fielded by professional volunteer units and special forces in the Bragulan military. It is a computer-aimed, video-targeted automatic weapon attached to servohydraulic armor by a brace and a gyro-stabilized support arm - a revolver cannon mounted on sort of a steadicam that kills. The gyro-support arm is controlled by a computer linked to passive-aggressive sensors, a smart system that not only directs rounds to their targets but also detects structural vulnerabilities such as a building's support pillars or soft spots in enemy armor. When switched to aggressive-aggressive mode, the gamma/x-ray array can bathe targets in lethal amounts of radiation, a feature often used by off-duty Bragtroops to cook flocks of birds; in urban combat, it can be used to see through walls before shooting through them. The weapon has a range of nearly 4 miles (6.4 kilometers) and can fire K-bolts, repleted uranium spikes, bottled Karlack bioplasma canisters, vegemite buckshot, HESH (High Explosive Smash Head), monomolecular fragmentation rounds, thermobarics, and more. B-NET K-cannon The Bragulan B-NET K-cannon is a heavy infantry weapon for anti-personnel and anti-vehicle use. It fires 20mm K-bolts at 1000 rpm, with a maximum effective range of 3,600-4,000 meters. If the B-11 rifle is as large as a human machine gun, then the B-NET is as big as a vehicle-mounted chaingun. B-NETs are usually issued to paired conscripts, one to lug the weapon and another to haul a drum full of ammo belts. Better-equipped troops forego this and can carry the guns and ammo individually with servohydraulics to bear the weight and aid in targeting. Vehicle-mounted B-NETs are usually twin-linked. The B-NET K-cannon has far greater firepower than the B-11; it is faster-firing and shoots larger slugs at higher speeds, giving it excellent armor-piercing capability. Its rounds are cored with repleted uranium, a self-sharpening and pyrophoric substance; upon impacting a vehicle, the K-bolt not only spews acid residues but also radioactive particulates that catch fire, ignite ammunition and fuel, kill the crew, and possibly cause the vehicle to explode. Banyong Liudan Qiang-01 Automatic Grenade Launcher The Banyong Liudan Qiang-01 is a 25mm squad grenade launcher. It can be either belt-fed or magazine-fed, depending on mounting. For hand-held use, it is equipped with a stock and pistol grip and feeds from a 10-round magazine; it can also accept BQ-98 grenade magazines, and vice versa. A 30-round helical magazine can also be utilized, which is not compatible with the BQ-98. The BLQ-01 can also be fitted directly onto power armor, or mounted onto a tripod or pintle mount and fitted with spade grips. When belt-fed, a multi-feed option is available to allow selection of ammunition before firing, such as pinch warheads, conventional HE, armor-piercing, incendiary, or shotgun rounds. M78 Phased Plasma Infantry Gun The M78 PIG (Plasma Infantry Gun, formally Phased Plasma Assault Gun, Caliber 13 mm, M78, Flexible) is a (barely) man-portable weapon designed to be effective against heavy armor and power-armored infantry alike. Manufactured by DeBarros as part of a range of plasma assault weapons, it fires 13mm darts of plasma in the 50 watt range. The fast-discharge system powering the gun has a dialable firing cycle with a maximum rate of fire of 850 bolts per minute. In order to keep the gun from melting during sustained fire it is fitted with an advanced cryo-system. The penetrating power of the system is considerable, and it is claimed to be able to breach the flank armor of a Chornyb Urban Pacifier at 4,000 m. Although one of the oldest active weapons in the arsenal of the USMC, the marines continue to like the M78 for its penetrating power and extremely high rate of fire, the combination of which means it is utter overkill against most of the targets typically engaged with it. M97 Stonecleaver Infantry Grenade Launcher The M97 is a heavy 60 mm automatic grenade launcher with an effective range of 5 km, developed and manufactured by Solaris Advanced Weapons Corporation. The M97 was intended to significantly increase a small squad's firepower and fires a wide variety of programmable smart grenades from two dual-mounted 25-round box magazines. With the press of a button, the wielder can switch between magazines, allowing rapid shifting between different kinds of munitions. At 25 kg, the M97 can be carried and fired only by power-armored troops; the Stonecleaver is fitted with a ballistic computer that feeds targeting data directly into a combat suit's VHUD. The M97 suffers somewhat from being over-engineered; amongst marines the M97 is known as fussy, requiring careful maintenance to prevent loss of reliability. Like most Solarian weapons systems, the M97's numerical designation follows the unofficial USMC/SOS Classification System. SAWco has developed a plethora of grenade types for the Stonecleaver: HE, HE Target Seeking, HEAT, High Explosive Flechette, Enhanced HE, HE Breaching, Concussion, Tangler Monowire, EMP, AMAG, Close Combat Flechette, Prism Smoke, Biotech Motion Restraint, Scrambler, Programmable Nanostat Swarm, and Gauss Field. M358 GP Gauss Machine Gun The M358 general purpose gauss machine gun (formally Gauss Machine Gun, Caliber 8.6 mm, M358) is the standard support weapon of the the SOS Imperial Guard and Marine Corps. Manufactured by Morita as part of its line of gauss weaponry, it fires 8.6mm high explosive armor-piercing incendiary slugs at 6 km/s at a maximum rate of fire of 900 rpm; even though it is built with inertial dampeners in order to control recoil, it can still be considerable for an inexperienced user without powered assistance. Its maximum effective range is 3,600 meters with optics. Standard SOS Imperial Armed Forces doctrine states that the M358 is to be issued to teams of two soldiers, one to operate the weapon and the other to carry spare ammunition and other supplies; however, in practice, the M358 is often operated and maintained by a single soldier. Nuclear Flamethrowers Nuclear flamethrowers use incendiary isotopes to incinerate, irradiate and immolate those deserving Byzonic burnination and are typically used in urban pacification and close quarters combat. There are three general kinds fielded by Bragulan troops, differentiated by the fuel they use. Unleaded-plutonium fossil fuel flamers use the distilled fuels of Bragulan ground vehicles minus releading, as plutonium-spiked diesel is releaded to decrease ''the radioactivity of its fumes, and have the advantage of readily available fuel sources as all one needs is a distiller and easy access to the motor pool, while the disadvantage is that it is practically just napalm mixed with a dirty radiation bomb. Double V flamers use vegemite-saturated vespene gas for a similar but more intense effect, as vegemite is significantly more radioactive than plutonium-spiked diesel and vespene burns at plasmatic temperatures, while the disadvantage is that vegemite-vespene is not as accessible. Liquid thorium flamers are almost only used by Bragulan naval infantry who use weaponized coolant hoses in boarding actions. Tongyong Ji Qiang-95 GPMG The Tongyong Ji Qiang-95 GPMG is the standard support weapon of the Lujun. A belt-fed weapon, it fires the same ammunition and uses the same sight module as the BQ-98 rifle in order to simplify training. The TJQ-95 can be fitted directly to power armor, mounted on a tripod or pintle mount with spade grips, or carried with a pistol grip and bipod. VX-30 ''Vindicator Century Level Weapon The VX-30 is a dual-purpose linear accelerator weapon able to reconfigure itself to serve two distinct purposes. The first mode is that of a standard anti-personnel heavy machine gun, firing 10mm rounds at 5 km/s at a rate of 1,000 rpm. The secondary mode has the accelerator array widen, allowing it to fire 30mm AP rounds at 15 km/s, at a mechanically restricted rate of 25 rpm semi-automatically. Its secondary fire mode makes it very useful against power-armored soldiers and light vehicles, although the weapon masses some 36 kilograms, making it hard to move. Anti-Vehicle Weapons BIF-5 Micro-Nuke The Bragulan Infantry Fission missile is a micronuclear weapon with a variable yield ranging from sub-kiloton to double-digit kilotons. Standard BIFs are unguided dumbfire rockets similar to Space RPGs but with far deadlier warheads. Advanced models, such as the BIFG-5, used by better-equipped army units, special forces, and the Emerald Guard, have more sophisticated guidance systems to defeat modern defenses. In the Legion, BIFs are issued at the platoon level and conscripts only use them when authorized by their superiors, but favored professional volunteer units and Shock Troopers can be issued BIFs by squad. BIFs may be used against vehicles and aircraft but are more often used as bear-portable artillery support to indiscriminately level entire areas or as emergency weapons against Astartes or FORCE Marines. Commissars also favor using the BIF to quickly deal with mass mutinies. DD-214 Guang Incendiary Missile The DD-214 Guang was developed in response to a requirement for the ability to set things on fire from a distance. Earlier iterations of the weapon utilized a triethylaluminum/triethylborane mixture, a strong pyrophoric (burns spontaneously in air) that was effective against most targets in a oxygen-based environment. However, the Lujun's leaders were unhappy, because the weapon was of limited effectiveness against targets in non-habitable atmospheres or hard vacuum; also, it was possible to fight the fire. For the next iteration of the DD-214, the next brilliant idea was to load the missile with a oxidizer for the warhead instead of a fuel. The Lujun turned to the strongest liquid oxidizer it could find, called CPF. CPF is hypergolic with essentially every known solid substance, with no ignition delay measurable; materials it is known to react with include sand, stone, armor plate, and for that matter, Lujun researchers. Conventional methods of firefighting largely fail, as it will react with most firefighting agents, including water and carbon dioxide; smothering the fire also fails, as CPF is its own oxidizer and considers nearly everything to be fuel. Typical combustion products of CPF include a mix of some of the strongest acids known to man. The best methods of fighting a CPF fire are venting the atmosphere, or failing that, a good pair of running shoes. DD-359 Zhen Quadrole Missile The DD-359 Zhen quad-role missile comes in two variants: Slow and fast. Targets can include vehicles (including heavy armor), aircraft, bunkers, and personnel. The fast variant is more suited to attacking aircraft, while the slow model can fire over the horizon or over obstacles. The fast variant is a KE impactor with Cochrane generator, allowing exceptional velocity, while the slow variant substitutes a pinch warhead with directional capability. Both models are fired out of a sealed no-maintenance container. A standard MJ-95 sight module is utilized for aiming and targeting, usually the same one fitted onto the user's BQ-98. F30A3 Hellstorm A design by Pan-Empyrean Positronics' Experimental Warfare Division, the Hellstorm is a specialized anti-infantry weapons system that discharges a so-called "cargo" rocket. Each rocket is in fact a sensor system mounted atop a cluster of a dozen active-homing micro-missiles. These networked missiles are fitted with high explosive armor-piercing incendiary warheads and capable of coordinating their attack, jointly engaging one or more targets within a 2km radius. Ideal for city-clearing or operations in target-rich environments, the Hellstorm is the marines' preferred weapon when clearing out Karlack infestations. M52 Rocket Launcher The M52 (formally Rocket Launcher, Caliber 102 mm, M52) is the standard anti-armor weapon issued to the SOS Imperial Guard and Marine Corps. Designed as a replacement for previous anti-armor weapons in SOS Imperial Armed Forces service, it represents a radical departure from previous designs. The M52 fires 102mm rockets from a pair of preloaded, disposable barrels that can quickly be detached from the launcher and replaced once both are exhausted. While the standard projectile is an unguided tandem-charge high explosive anti-armor rocket, the M52 is a highly versatile weapon capable of firing a variety of other munitions, such as high explosive dual-purpose, high explosive armor-piercing incendiary, tandem-charge anti-fortification, high explosive fragmentation, flechette, thermobaric, smoke, illumination, and EMP rockets; it can also be adapted to fire guided rockets, which allows it to be used as a fire-and-forget weapon. The launcher is fitted with an integrated targeting suite that includes optics, a laser designator, and battlefield networking gear. The launcher is built by Seburo, while the rockets are built by Anaheim Electronics and Kyoto Aerospace. M83 SADAR Designed by Solaris Advanced Weapons Corporation, the SADAR ('S'tandard 'A'ctive-Homing 'D'irect 'A'ttack 'R'ocket) is the premier anti-armor weapon available to a USMC light platoon. It is designed to engage tanks as well as low-flying gunships and has a long range and a reasonable firing rate, especially considering the damage the weapon can inflict. The SADAR is a fire-and-forget weapon that can be automatically guided onto its target by a variety of networked battlefield sensors, making it a devastating weapon when repeatedly fired from a protected position. Originally fitted with a two-stage anti-fortification warhead, it soon became clear that even though this shaped-charge design was effective against armor, Bragulan infantry could survive close proximity to a SADAR rocket detonation. SAWco therefore redesigned the rocket warhead to ensure maximum destruction of both hardened and soft targets. The new SADAR AMAG ('A'erosol 'MAG'nesum) penetrates heavy armor and discharges multiple megathermal payloads in its interior, delivering a high impact detonation that exposes the target to blast furnace temperatures high enough to flash-broil a Bragulan, thus ensuring a satisfactory degree of lethality. M212 HIMAT The Maibatsu HIMAT ('H'ypervelocity 'I'ntelligent 'M'issile, 'A'nti-'T'''ank) is a man-portable "brilliant" weapon. An extremely versatile missile, it gives commanders many options for deployment and use. One or more HIMAT launchers are connected via cables to the Fire Control Unit, an intelligent computer system which receives data from the local sensor matrix, including motion trackers, IR scanners, LIDAR, RADAR, and robotic sentries. The FCU can also be linked to command-wide units such as surveillance drones, forward observers, or satellites. The FCU analyses all available sensor data and upon positively identifying a threat, it will lock on with one or more missiles and prepare to launch. The HIMAT can be loaded with a variety of warheads, but standard is a HIAB (Hell In A Bomb) micro-fusion round. RL-87 Rocket Launcher The RL-87 is the Centralite armed forces' primary anti-vehicle weapon, utilized to take down a wide range of vehicles from trucks to tanks and even low-flying aircraft. ﻿Anti-Aircraft Weapons FGM/FIM-262 Meteor Dual-Purpose Missile The FGM/FIM-262 Meteor is a dual-purpose guided missile manufactured by Anaheim Electronics and Kyoto Aerospace and used by the SOS Imperial Guard and Marine Corps. Several different launchers exist for the missile; the most common are a man-portable single-shot launcher and an eight-shot pod for use in fixed positions and on aircraft. The missile itself can be reconfigured with several different warheads, such as tandem-charge high explosive anti-armor, blast fragmentation (proximity or impact detonation), hypervelocity high explosive kinetic penetrator with delayed-fuse fragmentation, regular hypervelocity kinetic penetrator (trinium or depleted uranium), and EMP. ML-101 Anti-Air Missile Launcher The ML-101 is a Centralite shoulder-launched man-portable air defense system designed to destroy enemy aircraft from rotorcraft to fast-movers. YK6 Tactical Homing Ordnance, Radar-Guided (THOR) Manufactured in the early 3350s by Schrom Corp for the United Solarian Marine Corps, the THOR is a fire-and-forget man-portable air defense system (MANPADS) composed of a launcher tube, targeters, and missile feed rack. Initially, the missiles had a simple sensor suite with an active electronic scanned array (AESA) radar and infrared search and track (IRST) system, but later upgrades included LIDAR and improved battle networking systems to better counter Bragulan nuclear jamming. Though it has been superceded by more modern weapons in USMC service, the THOR is still used by many planetary defense forces; it is also a popular export item that somehow always ends up in the hands of anti-Byzonist insurgencies. The THOR can launch a variety of warheads, such as standard high explosives, phased plasma pulse-producing detonators, EMP, nano-sharpened target-seeking proximity fragmenters, brilliant surface-to-air submunitions, and simple kinetic penetrators. Melee Weapons﻿ Combat Beating Stick The officers of the Imperial Bragulan Commissariat are issued with beating sticks, but the extraordinary responsibilities entrusted to commissars in the military means that they must likewise wield extraordinary sticks to administer extraordimary beatings. The Combat Beating Stick is no mere simple bragsteel club; it is in fact a very sophisticated bragsteel club built to smash very sophisticated things. The jagged stick-edges of Bragulan steel at the fore of the weapon can emit resonating nucleo-magnelectronic fields capable of smashing through armor, like the helmets of powered infantry. The settings are variable and the effects range from the explosive decapitation of unarmored heads to merely severe electrocution. The former setting is for close combat against the enemy, while the latter can be used for enforcing morale, performing interrogations, or administering defibrillations in first-aid medical stick-beating. Standard morale beatings on Bragulan subordinates are usually administered by inert beating-sticks to conserve their atomic batteries. Other features include (among others) a grappling hook launcher, an encrypted communicator, a voice amplifying macrophone, an iridium irradiator/illuminator, and a radio-frequency identificator with commissarial override. Beating sticks also contain surveillance devices to record all stick-beatings for posterity and evidence for Commissariat ideological reviews. A secret use of the beating stick is that of an anti-memetic by administering conductive electroconvulsive shock therapy directly to Bragulan neural cortexes to override any harmful ideo-neurologic influences and reset proper Byzonic brain functions. Dawkins/Tsien Militech ccw51 Surge Bayonet On the surface, the ccw51 appears to be little more than a typical ceramic combat knife/bayonet with a 20cm blade, but there is more to this device than its outward appearance would indicate. The ccw51 has a built-in miniaturized shield generator system that activates when the blade is brought into sharp contact with something while it is held. In its default setting, the shield generator allows the blade to cut through most materials with relative ease; it can also be set to dump a considerable electric charge of around 250,000 volts into its target. These weapons are cheap and easy to produce and are standard issue to Commonwealth soldiers on the ground, as well as being sold abroad. Dawkins/Tsien Militech also manufactures a range of swords operating on this concept based around historical European and Oriental bladed weapons for export; a prototype sword for military purposes (the gladius-patterned ccw55) was also developed for the Commonwealth's military, although it was rejected due to weight concerns. Klavostani Battleaxe Even before Mankind left its twin cradles, melee weapons had become increasingly insignificant in an age of machineguns and worse. As Mankind took to both the stars and a dizzying variety of newer small-arms, it seemed like the age of the melee weapon was over. Still, in close confines of a starship being boarded, such weapons have their place... but the Orkish love of - and success with - their Choppa is 'just ridiculous', as many a shellshocked Klavostani veteran had reported long ago, when the latest small-arms and weight-of-fire tactics were alone simply insufficient to overcome a tidal wave of blood-mad Orks. The modern-day Janissary Power Armor provides an incredible strength-assist for the soldier inside, and when combined with the latest starship armor-grade unobtanium alloy battleaxe, it is the very most direct manifestation of the Sultanate's will and ability to meet the Ork head-on and counterattack. Mines, Grenades, and Other Explosives Blacksun Defense Technologies sdN20 ''Moray Rapid Deployment Mine The sdN20 is a specialized area-denial mine utilized by the Commonwealth military. It is a cylindrical 7.5cm projectile fired from a variety of launchers, such as heavy belt-fed cannons, mortars, and handheld semi-disposable low-grade accelerators. It is mechanically set to be fired at comparitively low velocities. Once fired, the Moray does not explode on impact; instead, it either settles down where it lands or clings to walls by boring in and begins to sweep using its scanners. The mine casing is prefragmented with a number of penetrating flechettes. The Moray's integrated scanners sweep the surrounding environment for enemy soldiers; the scanners also include an IFF system capable of distinguishing between Nova Atlantean soldiers, hostile soldiers, and noncombatants. Once enemy soldiers are detected within its blast radius, it detonates; at close range, it is devastating against non-power-armored soldiers. Blacksun Defense Technologies has not exported the Moray to the general market. The Blue Bragcock Built by the Peoples's Ministry of Medium Machine Building of Bragule, the Blue Bragcock originated as a civilian atomic charge used for demolishing starscrapers and plowing bragricultural ditches; however, it was swiftly adopted by the Imperial Legion Corps of Engineers and later circulated to other services. The modern Bragcock is a compact device, barely 50 kilograms in weight and roughly the size of a small fridge. It sports sensitive seismographs to detect enemy troop movements and a microcomputer to determine the optimum time of initiation. It uses a similar warhead to the BIF-5 and can be salted with vegemite derivatives or Cobalt Thorium G to increase fallout. Bragulan Stick Grenades Standard Bragulan grenades come in many varieties. The most common is the simple brag frag, an enhanced explosive wrapped in a bragsteel casing that fragments into monomolecular-edged shrapnel to perforate the weak spots of modern power suits or utterly masticate lighter armor. Another bragtime favorite is the K-grenade, which blasts molecular acid for dozens of meters, outright melting those in its radius or weakening armor enough for a follow-up brag frag attack to work its magic. Thermobarics are standard fare for Bragulan counter-terrorists and hostage rescues, along with caustic nerve agents. Radiological grenades use fission byproducts and are exceptionally dirty bombs. Plasma grenades use harvested Karlack bioplasma and vespene to create a highly adhesive superheated substance that sticks like superglue and burns hotter than the surface of a sun. Many grenades are non-metallic (some are even made out of lumber) and can be used as hard-to-detect mines or braggy-traps. The stick shape of Brag grenades also means they can be used as makeshift clubs. C4 An old favorite that is still used by many nations despite the existence of newer types of explosives. M27 Jiang Shi Anti-Personnel Mine The M27 Jiang Shi is a bounding anti-personnel mine fielded by the SOS Imperial Guard and Marine Corps. A modern descendant of the ancient "Bouncing Betty" once used on Old Earth and Nova Terra, the M27 is little changed from its ancestor in terms of general concept. In its basic form, the M27 consists of a small composite cylinder with the triggering mechanism mounted on top. While the mine is normally triggered by a pressure fuse, it can be modified to be triggered via tripwire or remote detonator; the standard pressure fuse is designed to activate if depressed by a weight of roughly 7 kilograms or greater. Internally, the main charge is surrounded by 360 depleted uranium balls or tungsten carbide rods, depending on the mine's construction; the mine can also be wrapped in a metal casing that fragments upon detonation, improving its effectiveness but making it more prone to detection. When activated, the M27 Jiang Shi fires itself roughly 1-1.5m into the air with a small propellant charge before detonating, spraying shrapnel at high velocities. The main fuse of the mine is designed to trigger the propellant charge 4 seconds after initial triggering. The M27 is guaranteed lethal within 20m and can reliably cause injuries within 100m; SOS Imperial Armed Forces training manuals note that the mine can cause casualties as far as 140m. In practice, the M27 is often planted alongside an armed fragmentation grenade, with the mine resting against the grenade's safety lever; if the mine is triggered or if an enemy attempts to disarm the mine, the grenade goes off, inflicting additional casualties. M29 Nodachi Anti-Personnel Mine The M29 Nodachi is a directional anti-personnel mine fielded by the SOS Imperial Guard and Marine Corps. A modern descendant of the ancient M18 Claymore once used on Old Earth and Nova Terra, the M29 is little changed from its ancestor in terms of appearance and general concept. The weapon consists of a horizontally convex composite case with an open sight for aiming, two pairs of scissor legs to support the mine and allow it to stand up, and fuse wells set at 45° on both sides of the sight; the front surface of the case has the words "FRONT TOWARDS ENEMY" embossed on it in both English and Japanese. Internally, the mine consists of a layer of explosive behind a matrix of approximately seven hundred 4mm depleted uranium balls set into an epoxy resin. When detonated, the mine disperses the balls at extremely high velocity into a 60° fan-shaped pattern that is 2m high and 50m wide at the mine's optimal effective range of 50m; however, the DU fragments are still effective as far as 250m. While primarily an anti-personnel weapon, the M29 can also be used against unarmored and lightly armored vehicles. The M29 Nodachi can be detonated by any mechanism that sets off the blasting cap. Controlled detonation can be accomplished with either a command wire or radio control firing device; physically wiring several mines together or keying their receivers to accept a single signal can allow several mines to be detonated simultaneously. Tripwires and timers can also be used. Type 1102 Plas-Frag Grenade The Type 1102 is a plasma fragmentation grenade used by Centralite infantry. Non/Less-Lethal Weapons Blacksun Defense Technologies MA-50 Triceratops Non-Lethal Infantry Weapon The MA-50 Triceratops is a multi-purpose non-lethal weapon. Due to fairly restrictive personal firearms laws within the Nova Atlantean Commonwealth, there is a thriving market for effective non-lethal weaponry. Colloquially referred to as "Sarah," the MA-50 is is configured like a typical assault rifle and sports three different weapons systems. The first weapon fires a calibrated electro-particle beam specially designed to overload the target's nervous system, typically rendering the target unconscious; the electro-particle beam has an effective range of 500 meters. The second weapon is a sonic pulser that unleashes a blast of intense ultrasonic sound, much like a Solarian sonic-electronic ball-breaker; while the sonic pulser has a lower effective range than the stun beam (about 50 meters), it can affect multiple targets due to its conical area of effect. The third weapon is a 20mm low-velocity launcher with a 8-round magazine designed to deploy Dolldust™ canisters and other non-lethal ordinance, including various types of airborne and contact riot control and incapacitating agents. The MA-50 is generally well-regarded for its flexibility and utility and is another popular item on the export market, though it does face competition from various other weapons systems, such as the Cobra pistol. As is typical for Nova Atlantean infantry weapons, it can be outfitted with a variety of anti-theft devices (both passive and active), with the active ones designed specifically to incapacitate. Brown Gun The Brown Gun is a non-lethal acoustic weapon that does not incapacitate through conventional sub-aural methods (like in sonic-electronic ball breakers). It emits focused low-frequency sound, Brown Noise, that stimulates the human pyloric sphincter, causing those unfortunate enough to be in the affected area to develop severe bowel movements resulting in an unsightly and undignified... mess. The Brown Gun has become rather notorious with criminals, and the mere sight and smell of it is enough to cause many sense-offenders to surrender. There have been occasions where the felons, and even the rescued hostages, have sued police for the undignified use of Brown Guns. Brown Guns are meant to be used by police to incapacitate and/or disorient hostiles in situations like riots, hostage takings, and prolonged sieges. Specialized soundproofed vehicles can mount large Brown Guns because the riot control variants are designed to affect wide areas and large groups, not just individuals. Hand-held Brown Guns are used on individuals and small groups to demonstrate that civil disobedience is still disobedience. It is customary for police departments to bring sanitation specialists whenever Brown Guns are employed. The most memorable use of the Brown Gun was during the underhive riots of the Solarian Mega Cities during 3393, when the Meg used the device on thousands of unruly demonstrators and protesters. The resultant crowd-dispersal left such a mess that it took city sanitation services several days to clear and a whole week to deodorize. Control Gun The Control Gun is a pistol-sized weapon used by CSB and Party Overseers that utilizes an EM field that disrupts the target's higher mental functions, leaving the victim incapable of resisting any order. Pfhor Shock Weapons The most famous of Pfhor technologies is the shock weapon, so named because one of their effects is the inducing of incredible pain in any biological entity that they strike through a vaguely electrical effect that stimulates pain receptors and the regions of the brain responsible for processing pain. The electrical effect is also heavily disruptive to electronics, creating a similar disabling effect in unshielded robotics. The electric effect has been described by those unfortunate enough to be attacked by a shock weapon to progress in several stages: *The first is intense pain at the point of contact with the shock "bolt," in the case of a projectile shock weapon, or a shock "field" otherwise. This sensation has been compared to that of a white-hot iron, or highly caustic acid. *The above stage seems to last for several moments to the victim, the pain often described as "hanging" at the contact point, before proceeding to the next stage. In reality, this transition occurs almost instantaneously, but something about the effect seems to vastly slow down the target's perception of time at this stage. *The pain then instantly "shoots" throughout the victim's entire body, as the electric effect simulates all of the target's pain receptors and the regions of the brain responsible for processing pain. Occasionally, this stage triggers involuntary muscle spasms and, curiously enough, "blinking" visual/auditory hallucinations in the victim. Any hallucinations triggered are almost always incredibly unpleasant for the victim. *The intense pain caused by this second stage generally lasts for thirty seconds to a minute, if the shock weapon was set to kill. Setting the shock weapon to stun results in the pain lasting much longer. Any hallucinations triggered generally only last for roughly ten to fifteen seconds, regardless of the setting of the weapon. *After the intense pain recedes, the victim feels a duller pain in a large region around the contact point, describes as a hot "throbbing" or "simmering" sensation. Moving the affected area induces sharp shooting pains in both the affected area and the brain, and if the region struck is a limb, it is generally unusable for the duration of this stage, one to three hours regardless of the setting of the weapon. *After the third stage ends, the victim feels aches and pains throughout his body, most intense at the point of contact. This stage, however, is unique in that it can be treated with conventional painkillers, which the previous three stages cannot. This stage generally lasts from one to three days, depending on the individual, and repeated exposure to the shock effect most dramatically reduces the duration and intensity of this stage. While conventional painkillers and anesthetics are ineffective against the shock effect, there exist specialized and fairly inexpensive drugs that will negate the shock effect completely if administered prior to exposure and quickly negate the pain caused by the shock effect if administered after exposure. Any personnel expecting to enter combat with shock-armed opponents are highly advised to bring and use these drugs. The protection offered by a single dose of these drugs typically lasts around half an hour, depending on the manufacturer and individual. The shock effect, while electrical in nature, does not travel through known electrical conductors, only live or recently-live biological tissues. If a shock bolt does not penetrate any armor worn by a target, the shock effect will simply not be felt. In addition to the shock effect, ranged shock weapons set to kill also have substantial kinetic and slight thermal effects on their targets, making them capable of damage even if the shock effect is negated. If the shock effect is negated, they are generally slightly less effective than the average galactic weapon of a similar class. Shock weapons form the mainstay of the Pfhor military's small arms, being produced in sizes and classes ranging from small pistols and batons all the way to heavy machine-guns, at which point the technology begins to scale very badly. Large numbers of shock weapons have also found their way onto the wider galactic arms market. Zigonian Cobra Pistol Manufactured by Zigonian Zhaoermia-i-Gallimimus (ZiG), the Cobra pistol (called such due to its serpentine form) is a smart-aiming neuro-neutralizer. Its targeter tracks nervous system functions, allowing it to discriminate susceptible biological targets from incapacitated victims or inanimate objects. It fires a coherent beam that temporarily scrambles the somatic nervous system while debilitating higher brain functions. The effect is extremely painful and debilitating, and the sophisticated targeting system ensures that a target is only hit once with a bio-calibrated pulse. Repeated hits can be lethal, inducing cardiac arrest or even permanent brain death. The Cobra pistol is one of the few less-lethal weapons that is as effective against cyborgs as it is against organics. Its primary competitors on the galactic arms market are the Nova Atlantean MA-50 Triceratops and the Pfhor's wide variety of shock weapons. A version for the Nova Atlantean market was jointly developed with Dawkins/Tsien Militech. This Cobra features a three-tier firing system when fired in rapid succession against the same target; the first shot stuns, the second is lethal, and the third is even more permanently fatal. It also has a single-mode "active" anti-theft system; when wielded by an unauthorized user, the weapon's aperture turns and discharges once (often directly in the user's face) before a built-in communicator alerts a medical response team. This modified Cobra was ultimately rejected in the Commonwealth ostensibly due to numerous "safety concerns"; these concerns were questioned, as the modified Cobra's anti-theft system was hardly any different from the popular thousands-volt electrocution systems of other Nova Atlantean weapons like the VX-23 Deathcaster, and ZiG suspected that the rejection was more due to Nova Atlantean trade protectionism than legitimate consumer safety issues. ZiG later adapted some of the modified Cobra's features (except for the anti-theft system) in a more refined form for other Cobra variants. RN/L-2 Crowd Control Rifle The RN/L-2, more commonly known by the slang terms of 'heat ray' and 'microwave gun,' is a crowd control weapon manufactured primarily in the Humanist Union for use by police and military units in crowd control situations. The RN/L-2 is a nonlethal weapon that utilizes an intense beam of electromagnetic radiation to disrupt and debilitate targets through pain without leaving any long-lasting injury or disfigurement. The RN/L-2 is used sparingly where possible, typically only where protests turn violent. While compact in size, the RN/L-2 is a fairly hefty tool. Rugged construction makes it unintentionally useful as a cudgel in melee situations, and critics of the Humanist Union have been known to claim that you're just as likely to be hit in the face with an RN/L-2 as you are shot with one. The RN/L-2 is occasionally utilized as a torture device, though the Humanist Union does not officially consider the weapon useful in the capacity of an interrogative tool and punishes abuse of the weapon quite severely. Category:Ground Forces